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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 1, 2011 13:49:01 GMT -5
I'm currently working a few cabs from this slab. I cannot recall where I got the slab from, nor when. Someone has marked the slab as being "birthalya agate" or "radiolarite" from Australia. I've tried googling both of these names, and the latter does provide some images. However, none of the images look like this slab, with the parallel, almost straight pattern lines. The colors do remind me somewhat of Mookaite jasper, but all the Mook I've seen was patterned in splotches and blots, not in lines like this. It cuts like warm butter, and is quite a soft stone - maybe 4-5 Moh's - I went right through the first little preform I tried, so I did learn from that. If anyone can validate these names, or give me a proper name for this slab, I would appreciate it. Thanks, Tom
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 1, 2011 13:57:11 GMT -5
Pretty material. Sounds like one for pporky to answer. Can't find much about it, except that it seems to come from the same area as Mookaite. Says the deposit of Binthalya agate is played out. Don
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Post by parfive on Jul 1, 2011 15:19:35 GMT -5
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 3, 2011 9:43:14 GMT -5
Tom, I just (a few minutes ago) read an interesting article on Mookaite that mentioned it formed in the "weathering profile of a geological formation known as the Windalia Radiolarite"... I'll try to scan and send you the article tomorrow.
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 3, 2011 22:11:32 GMT -5
John - neat! Thanks for the info.
Tom
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bushkraft
having dreams about rocks
Public nuisance Number 1
Member since July 2011
Posts: 65
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Post by bushkraft on Jul 8, 2011 8:25:44 GMT -5
Binthalya, is an outstation on Mooka station (or ranch) the whole area (hundreds of square KM's) is overlain by layers of radiolarian rock, mookaite (named after the station) is a particularly colourful form, the hardness varies from place to place depending on the degree of silica that found its way into the mix, some is chalky and porous, other opaline and brittle while the best material is chalcedonic, I have seen chunks that contain all three.
How do I know all this ..... because I have been there many times !!
Take care.
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lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
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Post by lparker on Jul 8, 2011 11:41:38 GMT -5
bushkraft - thanks for jumping in - I have an 8 lb chunk of what the seller said was opalized mookaite - no one I've talked to since knew it existed - and, yes, it sure is brittle.
Lee
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Post by tkrueger3 on Jul 8, 2011 16:33:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, bushcraft. I wish I could remember how I acquired this slab - I have a feeling it came from an eBay deal or something. I have several small cabs that I'm attempting to polish. So far, I've only gotten them to take a muted shine - not glossy, but not exactly matte either. But man are they easy to grind right through!
Tom
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bushkraft
having dreams about rocks
Public nuisance Number 1
Member since July 2011
Posts: 65
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Post by bushkraft on Jul 8, 2011 19:03:35 GMT -5
Your welcome guys, I live in Western Australia where 2 million people live in a state bigger than the whole of Western Europe, so although it is easy to move around, finding a road that takes you to where you want to go is difficult, the track that leads to Binthalya is an absolute shocker that involves two days of 'off road' driving, on the up side the rock beneath the wheels for mile after mile is almost all mookaite, very pretty, but it plays havoc with the tyres.
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Post by johnjsgems on Jul 13, 2011 21:18:19 GMT -5
If our roads were Mookaite we wouldn't drive them, we would excavate them. Maybe just as well. Our roads are mostly pot holes now.
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